Tapering off alprazolam today

Hello to everyone reading this, and thank you for welcoming me here - please, apologize any mistake should I make any, as english isn'y my native language.

 

I'll try to be as brief as possible ; at the beginning of March, I first went to the doctor regarding a very disturbing tinnitus issue, which she told me was anemia induced. However, considering how distressed and sleep-deprived I was over my tinnitus, she put me on alprazolam ; 0.5g in the evening, nothing during the day. I have to admit it helped me sleep in the first weeks, though it didn't help in lessening the tinnitus.

 

Five weeks later, findind the pills  weren't of a great help to sleep anymore, I started searching the web for informations regarding tolerance to benzodiazepines ; that's when I first heard of benzo withdrawal, its side effects, and the unbearable tinnitus aggravation that was surely to come with it. I was terrified, and immediately decided to wean off and cut the treatment to make it as short as possible, fearing that the longer I'd take it, the more difficult it would be. I decided to take 0.25g, and cut 50% of the dose. I know now it was too sudden.

 

It was hell. First days were ok, but my tinnitus burst the 5th and I went through 48h of panick attacks, insomnia, extreme anxiety causing stuttering, trembling, cramps - my head was likely to explode. I took 0.5g again to gain a little bit of sleep, and called my doctor the next morning. We agreed on a much slower taper but she firmly refused to gradually change to diazepam and wants me to stay on alprazolam all the way. I don't trust her anymore for she should at least have warned be against the effects of benzo withdrawal before prescribing them, and let me see for myself if I was willing to take the chance or not. Given the small glimpse of withdrawal I had, I wouldn't take it could I go back in time... It's been 5 days now since I'm back on 0.5g but I want to start tapering off. I fear the longer I wait, the worse it's gonna be.

 

I feel devastated knowing I caused this to myself and will likely endure symptoms far worse than what led me to go see a doctor in the first place. The guilt and fear are terrible, though I'm very well supported by loving people all around me.

 

Since then, I've been reading a lot on benzo withdrawal... Dr Ashton's publications, Jennifer Leigh's blog, tinnitustalk member experiences... and now yours. Tonight I'm cutting one of my two 0.25g pills in quarters and take 0,4375g.

 

Thank you for reading (if you read, I know it's long...), and sending everyone here all the courage and hope you need to get better

Hello Ondine, welcome to BenzoBuddies,

 

We're glad you've found us!  Oh my, I'm sorry you learned the hard way that it doesn't take long to become to habituated to benzos.  Your withdrawl symptoms were pretty classic and tinnitus is one of the more common ones.  Please know that while the process of tapering can be intimidating, most of our members do get off benzos and move on.

 

Good to hear you've been educating yourself about tapering.  In case you have not looked at this link, it contains information about taper plans we support and taper help can be found here:

 

Planning Your Withdrawal (Taper Plans)

 

You'll get withdrawl support here:

 

Withdrawal Support (during your taper)

 

You can start a thread when you are ready.  Let us know how we can help.

 

Best and again, welcome,

 

Kate

Welcome! I am doing a short-term Xanax user. I was also on 0.5mg and am now tapering down slowly (see signature for details).

 

Listen to your body and your symptoms. Let them guide you. You are a short-term user, and you should be able to create a tapering plan to come down safely and quickly (in less than 6 weeks or so). However, sometimes tapering can take longer.

Welcome Ondine!

 

Glad you are here. You got this! And I loved reading:  I'm very well supported by loving people all around me.

 

It is SO distressing that the doctors don't know about the bad effects of the drugs they prescribe and how crazy that you got worse symptoms of the same issue you went to her for! Doctors wanted me to just stop ambien in 2 weeks after 20 years of use, so I am pretending one thing to them while doing a taper the way it is suggested here. I left that doctor and found one who supports a slow taper---but at much bigger jumps than I am doing so I just tell him I need 3 months inbetween.

 

Anyway!! Sorry for all the distress you're having and sounds like you've found some great resources!!

 

Cheers,

Kachina

Best of luck! I too was prescribed Xanax for a very minor panic issue! Now I’m paying for it and wish I was more educated before it was prescribed! Working with a psychiatrist for tapering have a good support system and remind yourself it’s not your it’s the meds it help me panic less

Thank you so much for the warm welcome, I'm already grateful for the support of this community and wishing everyone here the safest way to more peaceful days.

 

I've decided to delay the beginning of tapering and start later in the week, the last few hours have been horrendous and I'm holding on for dear life through a tinnitus spike, it's such a high pitch I can't stop crying.. This is hell, and I'm not even on the withdrawal journey... I don't feel stable enough to undertake this tonight and will probably try wednesday, wishing for two quiet nights before I begin the taper.

 

Take care, and best of luck to you all ♥

Ondine, I am sorry you are having a rough patch.  Most of us have been there and most of us have had to stop, hold, adjust, etc. our tapers along the way when things got too overwhelming.  We will look forward to hearing from you when you are ready.  Come to think of it, you don't have to be ready to taper to join in here so jump in whenever you feel up to it. 

 

P.S.  I just remembered that we have a support group for tinnitus.  You can connect here:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=96554.0

Awe, sounds soo painful and difficult. I'm sorry. Wishing you soothing peaceful moments. Take it easy and you'll know when it's right.

I advise you,based on my experience and some research,to go slow cause I suspect too much glutamate from a rushed taper hurts the same or more than benzos and then the recovery will last a bit longer.Im not an enthusiast of cold turkey method-unless you take gabapentine- cause is too much glutamate running free without any benzo or GABA to balance it.I think you will be ok very soon cause it was for a short time you took benzos and it wasnt a high dosage.Be patient:)